I don't think the reason we are doing so poor at the moment is down to the manager, or the players. A lot of them, manager included, have proven their quality over the years.
No, I think the issue is that after years of playing 'tippy tappy' football, now we seem to have players less suited to that style of game. With wilshere out, and Nasri and Cesc gone, we can't play that style too effectively now. So I feel our main problem is that we are still trying adapt to what suits our 'new players' best. You would assume that with the players we line up with now, we are more suited to counter attacking football; more direct than usual. Yet many times yesterday, we were passing the pass outside their box, waiting for the time to find the right pass. However, with none of the trio I mentioned earlier, we desperately lacked someone who could create a clear chance, and so we would soon lose the ball and hence the possibility of scoring.
I am sure Arsene wants us to play more direct football, which I guess explains the signings of the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, and (possibley) Benayoun. However, having trained to play 'pass and move' for years, the players we had prior to this summer, seem to be struggling (to adapt for now). I am sure when they do, we will start to do well again.
(PS Francis Coquelin was EXCEPTIONAL yesterday, reminded me of Flamini in 07/08. Hopefully he can continue his progress)
Our problem atm
posted on 3/10/11
no, it's the system we are playing mate. it's crying out fofr a change. just not flipping 4-3-3 anymore.
posted on 3/10/11
4-3-3 isn't that bad. In the last two years, we've used it well IMO. What stopped us from winning stuff was the persistant injuries to the likes of Cesc and van Persie, two players who were crucial to the system, yet were always injured.
I don't think switching to 442 will necessarily solve our problems. We just need to adapt our style, the quicker we do it, the better.
posted on 3/10/11
4-3-3 is the new wingbacks. That system was effective for a couple of years and once it had been found out it became obselete very quickly. 4-3-3 is now the same. Wenger is just hanging on to a style that needs to be dropped now. even to the point where I think we would be better off playing wingbacks than carry on with it. 3 Cb's would not be a bad thing at the moment for us.
posted on 3/10/11
Spot on with regard the "tippy tappy" we didn't win jack with Fab / Nasri playing that style in our team let alone with them gone. Wenger does not understand that a single pass from the back four straight to the forwards is just as good if not better than 99999 touches to get there. Teams know we never vary our game so we are easy to play against.
posted on 3/10/11
Arsenal have the same problems as they have had for the last few seasons, with some new ones added in.
Defence has always looked suspect, I thought selling Clichy was a strange move (unless he really wanted to go - still not sure?) Nothing appears to have been done about the physical fragility of the team, so teams still believe that they can out-muscle Arsenal.
A lack of leaders in the team also, the fact that Van Persie, who is an inspirational player but not what you would call captain material sums it up perfectly. The squad has of course been weakened by the departures of Fabregas and Nasri (and Clichy) - before their departures, I reckon Arsenal needed at least 4 top class players, after their departures at least 6, and it says it all that the squad looks weaker than in the last few seasons.
It is therefore of no surprise that Arsenal would struggle this season, a lack of squad depth means that key injuries really hit them hard. Arsenal are not even fighting for 4th, that will be between Spurs and Liverpool (personally think Spurs will grab 4th) Arsenal over the season should be better than the likes of Everton, Villa, even Newcastle and Stoke as teams who will be fighting for 6th, but it just reflects what has happened to Arsenal over the past few months that this is the level that they are at.
Of course football systems / tactics etc are important, but without depth in the squad and a high enough quality of player, that effects the team's position more than anything else.
The most worrying thing for Arsenal is that it is such a hard mountain to climb to get back into the top 4. I also question whether there are enough Arsenal players with the sheer belief that they are a top 4 team.